There was a stillness within the forest tonight. No animal stirred and even the trees were quiet, almost as if holding in a breath. A pale ring encircled the full moon. “It’s going to snow,” said Mason, looking up through the bare trees as he paused to blow his own hot breath through his cold fingers.

“Better hurry then,” said Quinn, pulling her cloak tighter as she quickened her pace.

The two wound their way down the narrow trail, as they did about once a month. Their mission was simple, gather the Irarlat plant. Quinn used the magical herb for making potions, which she then sold to travelers, local healers and others. Her brother, Mason, always insisted on accompanying her, insisting the forest was not safe, even though they had never encountered anything Quinn deemed dangerous. A light snow started to fall just as they reached the small clearing where the Irarlat grew. Quinn quickly knelt down on the cold ground to gather what she needed.

Crunch, crunch. The noise came from somewhere in front of them. An animal, thought Mason, though he peered into the trees, trying to see what it could be. Crunch, crunch. Could it be footsteps? “Who goes there,” said Mason sternly. Quinn paused her gathering to listen. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Crunch, crunch. Another sound came from the direction they had come and Quinn felt her heart rate rise. Crunch, crunch. “Who goes there, I said,” Mason drew his sword. “Reveal yourself!”

The next morning at the market…

“Attention! May I have your attention please,” shouted a short man with a large belly and balding head. Next to him, an old woman wrung her hands, tears stains streaking her cheeks. A small group stopped to listen. “Mason and Quinn, you all know them, did not return last night.” There was a general murmur of surprise. “Now, I’m sure they’re fine, but I’d like to organize a small search party to go into the forest this morning and look for them. Any volunteers?”

Dai stopped to listen to the announcement, she was new to this town and she didn't actually know the two mentioned, but something urged her to join this search party. Dai flicked her long wavy blonde hair out of her face and stepped forward, her cheeks were a light pink and her eyes were a shocking blue she stood about 5ft 6" with a slim but muscular build, she wore a long black cloak which flowed out behind her as well as a tight white shirt and a pair of black three quarter length trousers, on her feet where heavy wher-hide boots. She watched the other people around her squinting her eyes occasionally to stop the sun from getting in them, there wern't many people listening but enough, "I will join" she said at last after sizing everyone up, her voice was soft but wizened. Dai was only 22 but she had her fair share of travel through the years.

Jeramy, one of the town guards, had just returned from his early morning rounds and was heading home, taking a short cut through the market. But the announcement caught his attention and he stopped to listen. He had known the siblings since they were all children and the news that they had not returned disturbed him, for he knew Mason to be a capable man. The hot breakfast he had been looking forward to would just have to wait. "I will help."

The old man that had made the announcement broke the searchers into groups of two and three and Jeramy found himself paired with a woman he did not know. The town was not large and he wondered who she was and what had brought her. "Good day, Lady. It is kind of you to lend your assistance. Do you need to gather anything before we depart?"

Dai took a quick glance at the man who had also agreed to help, "No I have everything I need with me," she answered quietly looking at the other groups. A sword glinted at her side as well as a couple of daggers at the side of it, all of them with a jewel encrusted hilt. Dai glanced up at the sky and watched as the clouds driffted slowly across, She took a deep breath "We should start out before it gets to dark to see anything" she took a long look at the man and took in what he was wearing. "A guard! Must be able to handle himself then. Thats good i don't want to be looking after anyone else." She thought slowly. Dai sighed deeply and closed her eyes letting the sun warm her face.

"I agree," the guard said. "Luckily we've got most of the day left. But last night's snow fall will have done a good job covering their trail, so finding them may be no small task." The woman had closed her eyes, letting the sun's pale winter rays warm her slightly. He studied her for a moment, noticing the jeweled handles of the woman's blades. Those must each be worth a small fortune, he thought, looking away quickly so she wouldn't think he was staring.

The short man approached the pair. "I sent a group to the North, one to the East and one to the West. If you two would search to the South, we should have the area covered. Unfortunately, we don't know which way they went last night."

Jeramy nodded, knowing that Quinn gathered her herbs from many different places throughout the surrounding forest. "We'll start on the southern road and looks for any sign of the pair."

As the man left, Jeramy looked again to his new companion, "Shall we?" They started toward the southern road, "I apologize, I don't believe I have properly introduced myself. My name is Jeramy Robles."

"pleasure to meet you" she said taking a small but gracefull bow "My name is Dai, And i agree they will be hard to track the snow would of taken away all scent or trace of them" Dai looked around the path and knelt down by a small plant brushing away the thick layer of snow which covered the leaves, looking for any trace of passage but all of the leaves had been at least torn by the thick downfall of snow the night before. Dai cursed quietly this was going to be difficult even for her, if there was any hope of tracking the two then she was the one to do it, she scratched her head and then lifted her nose to the sky there wasn't much wind but there was a faint smell blowing in her direction. "come on better get going if were going to find these two" she said smiling slightly.

As the pair trudged down the snow covered road, Jeramy watched for any sign and listened carefully for any distant calls, but all he could hear was their own muffled footsteps and the occasional chirp from a bird that did not have the good sense to fly south for the winter.

"What brings you to our humble village, Dai?" he asked quietly as they walked, still very curious about this stranger.

--

The large grey warg stopped to sniff the air as his nose caught a familiar scent. Humans. It seemed they were coming down the main road, still a good way off. His mouth salivated at the tempting thought of sinking his sharp teeth into their soft flesh. But killing the soft creatures was against the orders of his master. And disobeying master was never a wise course of action. Instead he let a small growl escape his mouth as his large form bolted away from the smell and toward the orc encampment not far ahead.

Dai looked around at the man "just travelling really!" she answered slowly as if taking her time to think of what she was really doing, Dai made a retching noise as they walked down the road "that smell odd but in some way familliar" she said abruptly running a short distance ahead, she sniffed the air again it was moving away. obviously no threat to them she ruturned to her travel partners side, running her bright eyes around the clearing she sighed "lets keep going" she said moving briskly forward. Maybe they would run into the smell again her sensitive nose could pick it up again if it came to close.

The orc captain, Uggourth, grinned at the news that a few humans were coming toward them. The small warband had already captured two prizes to present to their master, a couple more could only increase his own reward and favor. He looked at the two humans they had taken prisoner the previous night, both bound tightly and gagged. Uggourth relished the site of the fear in their eyes. "More will join you soon," he growled at them. Around him, the other orcs in the warband were strapping on mismatched pieces of armor, readying for the small fight to come.

--

Jeramy looked slightly surprised as Dai suddenly sprinted forward and be broke into a run behind her, thinking that she had noticed something that he hadn't. "What did you see?" he asked as she slowed a moment later.

"Not what i saw, what i smelt" she said turning to Jeramy her bright blue eyes sparkling "If i could describe it to you i would but it was close! The smell it was horrible. My nose is extremly sensitive, My birth right all of my pack have good noses.... family i mean" she stopped abruptly and looked for any sign of understanding from Jeramy, she hoped he hadn't clicked on, when people found out they usually ran away. Dai smiled and countinued "I reckon if it comes close again i could smell it and i will let you know!" she turned and faced the direction they were going "um just for portection and just in case put some of this on" she pulled a small bottle of clear liquid out of her pocket and began to rub it into any avaliable area she could reach, "It's alright it's quite safe!" Dai smiled and handed him the bottle.

"my pack have good noses.... family i mean" The wording struck him as slightly odd and Jeramy wondered again from where this lady hailed, but he brushed it off as strange customs of foreigners.

He took the bottle and examined it a moment. "Is it for masking our own scent?" He knew there were dangerous animals in the forest with a much better sense of smell than his own, so hiding their scent wouldn't be a bad idea. Bringing it up to his nose, he took a small sniff, but the scent wasn't very strong.

--

"Lead them here," Uggourth growled to the warg that had brought the news of the humans on the road. The warg was joined by another as he turned and they sprinted together into the forest, silently disappearing from sight within moments. "Remember, take them alive!" The orc captain grunted to the others in the group.

"yes!" she replied "It may not smell strong to you but others will only smell two wolf's and nothing more!" Dai smiled and looked around quickly just to make sure there wasn't anything around to hear them. "I suggest we stick to the tree's other than the path if that thing i smelt earlier is dangerous it will know we were travelling by path" Dai looked around and sniffed the air quickly just to make sure she could not smell it again. They were safe for now or so she thought.

He nodded and began rubbing the clear liquid onto his hands, face, and neck. The woman was certainly was savvy in the woods, he thought. Jeramy handed the small bottle back to her with a small nod of approval. "It is a good trick."

"I suggest we stick to the tree's other than the path if that thing i smelt earlier is dangerous it will know we were travelling by path" Dai warned.

He agreed and they moved toward the trees that grew close to the road. The winter sunlight seemed even dimmer as it filtered through the bare tree branches above. They had moved a good distance away from the road, so that it was barely in view when Jeramy stopped. "Dai! Look!" A good many pairs of feet had left a clear trail in the fresh snow. He approached closer, feeling his grip tighten on the hilt of his sword. "They're not human."

Dai followed and looked at the footsteps closely, she bent down to the ground and took a big sniff "The same" she said raising her head and looking in each direction "And it wasn't long ago, they must be close but far enough away that i can't pick up there scent." Dai scratched her chin quickly and then placed her hand on her hair smoothing it down. She turnt around three times before returning to the same spot and looking at the footsteps again "I can't tell how many there were there paths are to muddled. I'm not sure it would be a good idea to follow yet my curiousity is getting the better of me!" she stood up straight and stared in the direction the footsteps led "What do you think?" she turnt to Jeramy and folded her arms leaning lazily against a nearby tree.